Spy vs Spy is a follow-up to the first game, where two spies find themselves stranded on a desert island. Their goal is to collect three pieces of a missile and escape in a waiting submarine before a volcano erupts. To achieve this, they must navigate through the island, avoiding obstacles such as quicksand and sharks.
The gameplay involves collecting missile parts while avoiding deadly traps like hidden pits, napalm, snares, and a pistol. Hand-to-hand combat has been replaced with sword fights instead of clubs. Players can also choose from seven difficulty levels, which affect the time before the volcano erupts and the size of the playing area.